The Institute of Ismaili Studies 1

More documents

Recommendations

Info

undermined the efforts of the Fatimid Ismaili da‘is operating in the same lands, notably Iraq, Persia and Transoxania, but also aroused the general anti-Ismaili sentiments of the Sunni Muslims who did not distinguish between the Ismailis and the Qarmatis who had acquired a reputation for irreligiosity and lawlessness. Imam al-Mu‘izz’s policies soon bore fruit as the Ismaili da‘wa and Fatimid cause were reinvigorated outside the Fatimid state. Most notably, Abu Ya‘qub Sijistani, the da‘i of Sistan, Makran and Khurasan, who had earlier belonged to the dissident Qarmati faction, transferred his allegiance to the Fatimids; and, consequently, many of his followers in Persia and Central Asia acknowledged the Fatimid caliph-imam. Ismailism also acquired a stronghold in Multan, Sind, where an Ismaili principality was established. The Caliph-imam al-Mu‘izz also permitted into the teachings of the Fatimid da‘wa the Neoplatonic cosmology elaborated by the da‘is of the Iranian lands. Henceforth, this Neoplatonised cosmology was advocated by the Fatimid da‘is in preference to the earlier mythological doctrine. In the course of the 9 th /10 th century, Muhammad Nasafi, Abu Hatim Razi and Sijistani had set about harmonising their Ismaili Shi‘i theology with Neoplatonic philosophy. This led to the development of a unique intellectual tradition of philosophical theology in Ismailism. These da‘is wrote for the educated classes of society and aimed to attract them intellectually. This is why they expressed their theology, always revolving around the central Shi‘i doctrine of the imamate, in terms of the then most intellectually fashionable terminologies and themes. The Iranian da‘is elaborated complex metaphysical systems of thought with a distinct Neoplatonised emanational cosmology. In this cosmology, fully elaborated in Sijistani’s Kitab al-Yanabi‘ and other works, God is described as absolutely transcendent, beyond being and non-being, and thus unknowable (Sijistani, Kashf almahjub, pp. 4-15). Here, the Neoplatonic dyad of universal intellect (‘aql) and universal soul (nafs) in the spiritual world replace Kuni and Qadar of the earlier cosmology; and the emanational chain of creation is traced finally to Man, while recognising that God created everything in the spiritual and physical worlds all at once (Sijistani, Ithbat, pp. 2-3, 28; Nasir-i Khusraw, Jame‘ al-hikmatayn, pp. 210-32). These da‘is also expounded a doctrine of salvation as part of their cosmology. In their soteriology, the ultimate goal of salvation is the human soul’s progression towards its Creator in quest of a spiritual reward in an eternal afterlife. This depended on guidance provided by the authorised sources of wisdom in every era of history (see Daftary, 1990, pp. 234-45; Walker, 1993, pp. 67-142; — —, 1996, pp. 26-103). Neo-platonic philosophy also influenced the cosmology elaborated by the Ismaili-connected Ikhwan al-Safa’. It was also in Imam al-Mu‘izz’s time that Ismaili law was codified and its precepts began to be observed by the judiciary throughout the Fatimid state. The Ismailis had high esteem for learning and created distinctive traditions and institutions of learning under the Fatimids. The Fatimid da‘wa was particularly concerned with educating the converts in Ismaili esoteric doctrine, known as the hikma or “wisdom”. As a result, a variety of lectures or “teaching sessions,” generally designated as majalis (singular, majlis), were organised. The private lectures on Ismaili esoteric doctrine, known as the majalis al-hikma or “sessions of wisdom,” were reserved exclusively for the Ismaili initiates who had already taken the oath of allegiance and secrecy. The lectures, delivered by the da‘i al-du‘at at the Fatimid palace, were approved beforehand by the imam. Only the imam was the source of the hikma; and the chief da‘i, commonly called bab (the Gate) in Ismaili sources, was merely the imam’s mouthpiece through whom the Ismailis received their knowledge of Ismaili esoteric doctrines (see Kirmani, Rahat al-‘aql, pp. 135, 138, 143, 205-8,212- 14). Many of these majalis were in due course collected and committed to writing. This Fatimid tradition of learning culminated in the Majalis al-Mu’ayyadiya of the da‘i al-Mu’ayyad fi’l-Din Shirazi (see Maqrizi, al-Khitat, I, pp. 390-91; Qalqasandi, X, pp. 434-39; Halm, “The Ismaili Oath of Allegiance,” pp 98-112; — —, 1997, pp. 23-29, 41-55; Walker, 1997, pp. 182-86). Another main …Please see copyright restrictions on page 1 8
institution of learning founded by the Fatimids was the Dar al-‘Ilm, the House of Knowledge, sometimes also called Dar al-Hikma. Established in 395 AH/ 1005 CE by the Caliph-imam al-Hakim (386-411 AH/996-1021 CE), a variety of religious and non-religious subjects were taught here and it was also equipped with a major library. Many Fatimid da‘is received at least part of their training at the Dar al-‘Ilm (Maqrizi, al-Khitat, I, pp. 458-60; Halm, 1997, pp. 71-77; Walker, 1997, pp. 189-93). Information on the structure and functioning of the Ismaili da‘wa organisation was among the most guarded secrets of Ismailism. The religio-political messages of the da‘wa were disseminated by networks of da‘is within the Fatimid dominions as well as in other regions referred to as the jaza’ir (singular, jazira, “island”). Each jazira was placed under the charge of a high-ranking da‘i referred to as hujja; and every hujja had a number of da‘is of different ranks working under him. Organised in a strictly hierarchical manner, the Fatimid da‘wa was under the overall supervision of the imam and the da‘i al-du‘at, or bab, who acted as its administrative head. The da‘wa organisation developed over time and reached its full elaboration under the Caliph-imam al-Mustansir (see Daftary, “Da‘i,” in EIr, VI, pp. 590-92; — —, 1990, pp. 224-32; Stern, 1972, pp. 437-50; Hamdani, 1976, pp. 85-114). It was in non-Fatimid regions, in the jaza’ir, especially Yemen, Persia and Central Asia, that the Fatimid da‘wa achieved lasting success (Daftary, 1999, pp. 29-43; — —, “Medieval Ismailis,” pp. 48-61). The da‘wa was intensified in Iraq and Persia under Caliph-imam al-Hakim. Foremost among the da‘is of this period was Hamid al-Din Kirmani. A learned philosopher, he harmonised Ismaili theology with a variety of philosophical traditions in developing his own metaphysical system. In fact, Kirmani’s thought represents a unique tradition within the Iranian school of philosophical Ismailism. He expounded a particular cosmology, replacing the Neoplatonic dyad of intellect and soul in the spiritual world by a system of ten separate intellects in partial adaptation of Farabi’s Aristotelian cosmic system (Kirmani, Rahat al-‘aql, pp. 134 ff.) Kirmani’s cosmology was not adopted by the Fatimid da‘wa; it later provided the basis for the fourth and final stage in the evolution of Ismaili cosmology at the hands of Tayyibi Musta‘li da‘is of Yemen (see W. Madelung, “Cosmogony and Cosmology in Ismailism,” in EIr, VI, pp. 323-24; de Smet, 1995, pp. 16-377; Walker, 1999, pp. 80-117). Imam al- Hakim’s reign also coincided with the initial phase of what was to become known as the Druze religion, founded by a number of da‘is who had come to Cairo from Persia and Central Asia, notably Akram, Hamza, and Darzi. These da‘is proclaimed the end of the era of Islam and declared the divinity of Imam al-Hakim. Kirmani was officially invited to Cairo around 405AH/1014CE to refute the new extremist doctrines from a theological perspective (M. G. S. Hodgson, “Duruz,” in EI2, II, pp. 631-34; Bryer). The Ismaili da‘wa activities outside the Fatimid dominions reached their peak in the long reign of Imam al-Mustansir (427-487 AH/1036-1094 CE), even after the Sunni Saljuqs had replaced the Shi‘i Buyids as overlords of the Abbasids in 447 AH/1055 CE. The Fatimid da‘is won many converts in Iraq and different parts of Persia and Central Asia. One of the most prominent da‘is of this period was al-Mu’ayyid fi’l-Din Shirazi who, after his initial career in Fars, settled in Cairo and played an active role in the affairs of the Fatimid dawla and Ismaili da‘wa. In 450 AH/ 1058 CE, Imam al-Mustansir appointed him as da‘i al-du‘at, a post he held for twenty years, with the exception of a brief period, until his death in 470 AH/1078 CE (see al-Mu’ayyid fi’l-Din, Sirat; Klemm, pp. 2-63, 136-92). Al- Mu’ayyid established closer relations between Cairo and several jaziras, especially Yemen where Ismailism had persisted in a dormant form throughout the 4th/10th century. By the time of Imam al- Mustansir, the leadership of the da‘wa in Yemen had fallen into the hands of the da‘i ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Sulayhi, an important chieftain of the Banu Hamdan in the mountainous region of Haraz. ‘Ali al-Sulayhi rose in Haraz in 439 AH/1047 CE, marking the effective foundation of the Sulayhid dynasty ruling over different parts of Yemen as vassals of the Fatimids until 532 AH/1138 …Please see copyright restrictions on page 1 9
Page 1 and 2: The Institute of Ismaili Studies Is
Page 3 and 4: settled in ‘Askar Mukram, in Khuz
Page 5 and 6: al-Mahdi. This loyalist faction cam
Page 7: it with the Qur’anic creative imp
Page 11 and 12: Imam Al-Mustansir, the eighth Fatim
Page 13 and 14: On the death of the twenty-sixth da
Page 15 and 16: effectiveness, much in the same way
Page 17 and 18: the larger world of Sunni Islam. Co
Page 19 and 20: affiliations with any of the Sufi t
Page 21 and 22: Anjudan to the nearby village of Ka
Page 23 and 24: — —, Zahr al-ma‘ani, ed. M. G
Page 25 and 26: Qadi No‘man b. Muhammad, Asas al-
Page 27 and 28: F. Dachraoui, Le Califat Fatimide a
Page 29 and 30: B. Lewis, The Origins of Ismailism,

The Institute of Ismaili Studies 1

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?